Saturday, July 14, 2012

Friday — the final day to sign players taken in last month’s First-Year Player Draft — the Yankees came to terms with high school right-hander Ty Hensley, the team’s first-round pick and the 30th overall selection in the draft.

Hensley, a hard thrower who was committed to Ole Miss, where he was expected to play every day because of his strong bat, reportedly signed for $1.2 million, saving the Yankees a few hundred thousand dollars on the $1.6 million slot price at that pick.

Those savings allowed them to spend money in later rounds on other players, such as Utah high school right-hander Brady Lail, an 18th-round selection who signed for $225,000.

Hensley, who was ranked No. 23 overall by Baseball America entering the draft, throws a mid-90s fastball to go along with a curve, and was athletic enough to play quarterback at Sante Fe High School in Edmond, Okla., until his senior year, when he gave up the sport to focus on baseball.

I must admit that I have not followed the draft, so I have little to add here. Sorry.

It was also mentioned in the article that overall, the Yankees signed 26 out of the 41 players they drafted, and all of their first 20.

Also, the Mets were unable to ink one of their top picks, second-rounder Teddy Stankiewicz. No relation to this Yankee great.

Friday — the final day to sign players taken in last month’s First-Year Player Draft — the Yankees came to terms with high school right-hander Ty Hensley, the team’s first-round pick and the 30th overall selection in the draft.

Hensley, a hard thrower who was committed to Ole Miss, where he was expected to play every day because of his strong bat, reportedly signed for $1.2 million, saving the Yankees a few hundred thousand dollars on the $1.6 million slot price at that pick.

Those savings allowed them to spend money in later rounds on other players, such as Utah high school right-hander Brady Lail, an 18th-round selection who signed for $225,000.

Hensley, who was ranked No. 23 overall by Baseball America entering the draft, throws a mid-90s fastball to go along with a curve, and was athletic enough to play quarterback at Sante Fe High School in Edmond, Okla., until his senior year, when he gave up the sport to focus on baseball.

I must admit that I have not followed the draft, so I have little to add here. Sorry.

It was also mentioned in the article that overall, the Yankees signed 26 out of the 41 players they drafted, and all of their first 20.

Also, the Mets were unable to ink one of their top picks, second-rounder Teddy Stankiewicz. No relation to this Yankee great.